Ron Hyatt

San Diego Sound Guy

Call:

1-858-395-3337

Email:

ron@ronhyatt.com

Text:

1-858-395-3337

About Ron

LOCATIONS COVERED

  • Los Angeles

  • Orange County

  • San Diego

Ron Hyatt

Owner/Operator

HYATT AUDIO is a location sound service based in San Diego, California. I record sound in the field and in the studio for the new generation of video production, and I maintain complete timecode and sync-sound gear packages.

What I DO

My job is to make sure that you come away with the sound you need to go with the pictures you shoot. A good field sound recordist is technically skilled and socially adept, two qualities that don’t always occur together naturally.

You want your sound recordist to have the right equipment and to know how to use it, and you also want him or her to be able to work well with the rest of the crew, with the talent, and with your clients.

For example, hiding mics on people (most of whom are already nervous) requires manual dexterity and a light touch; putting people at ease in that situation requires good manners, tact, and a professional attitude.

My Approach

My feeling is that seventy percent of what you see on the screen is contained in the soundtrack. I’ve heard it said that the difference between good sound and bad sound is five minutes a day in fifteen-second increments, and I fully agree: when we’re behind schedule it can be tough to call for another take after a plane flew over or a truck backed up or we got a wireless hit, but it’s my job to make that call.

That said, production is a team effort and my goal is always to get the best sound possible, within reason, and then get out of the way so we can move forward.

You don’t need sync sound on every take, but when we’re recording dialogue sound takes priority: If we can’t hear the person’s voice well, we don’t need to see their picture at all.

A lot of good DP’s and camera operators come from the world of feature film, and they’ve learned to shoot with the knowledge that there’s an army of ADR and Foley wizards to back them up, so getting good sound on location is less important to them. However, the projects I work on typically don’t have that luxury, and I’m often the only person on the crew who cares about how the sound is going to work for you once you’re in the edit bay.

So it’s up to me to make sure that you get what you need, even when the other departments are in a hurry. That’s often the hardest part of my job.

What I Don’t Do

I don’t talk too much when I’m on set. My my job often requires me to interact with talent and clients, and my manner is friendly but not familiar. I don’t ask for autographs or to have my picture taken with our guests.

​I don’t show up late and I don’t use my phone or my laptop when I’m working. I don’t try to direct and I don’t make unrequested editorial suggestions, but I do provide an extra set of eyes an ears to make sure we get what we came for.